Mail-bag catching and delivering apparatus.



J. N. ISENBERGER. MAIL me cucame AND DELIVERING APPARATUS. 1,008,546.

uruouxo: PX-LIID In. 10, 1 1 Patenhui t 4 1911 INYINTOR I51 nberqer. Q

Jacob N.

gBSSES I 2W4 J. N. ISENBERGER. MAIL BAG CATGHING AND DELIVERINGAPPARATUS. APPLICATION rILI-m 11m. 10, 1911.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

ISHEETB-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES Uacoyb Iienberq g CQLUIIIA WWII 00., WAQNING'I'ON, n.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB N. ISENBERGER, OF LANCASTER, PENNfiYLVANIA, ASSIGI OR TO UNIVERSALMAIL EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANI I, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG CA'IOHING AND DELIVERING APPARA'NU'S.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAooB N. Isnnnnnonn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMail-Bag Catching and Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a mail bag catcher and deliverer for use inconnection with moving trains, and more particularly to that class whichis rotatably mounted on a standard situated beside the track and hav inga spring controlled rotation thereon to compensate for the shock causedby the impact of the bag; and to a combined deliverer and car forkmounted in the doorway of the car and adapted to operate in conjunctiontherewith.

One object of my invention is to provide a catcher wherein the bag isreceived from a moving train without undue jar, and the rectilinearmotion of the bag transformed into a circular motion about the axis ofthe standard of the catcher.

Another object is to provide means whereby the bag becomes looked uponthe catcher immediately upon its reception, so that no rebound willthrow it out of the catcher, until released by the attendant.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thisclass, in which means are provided for both catching and delivering oneor more bags at the same time and without requiring change or separateadjustment in the apparatus.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certainconstruction and combination of parts as will hereinafter be fullydescribed and claimed in this specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which form a art of this application, and inwhich like gures of reference refer to corresponding parts in all of theviews; but it is fully understood that while I have here described mydevice as herewith shown, that I do not confine myself to the exactdesign as shown, as slight changes may be made in the construction andcombination of the several parts without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the deliver- Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed March 10, 1911.

Pateni ed Nov. 14, 1911.

Serial No. 613,492.

ing and catching devic a. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the same. Fig.3, is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 4:, is a detailsectionalv view 0 i the impact cushion device as used under he table.Fig. 5, is a bottom view of the table. Fig. 6, is a top plan view of theca fork in an extended position. Fig. 7, is i plan view of the catcherand deliverer, in position to cooperate with the car for r, and alsoshows its position after receivil g the bags as indicated by dottedlines. Fig. 8, is a top plan view of the car doorwa 7, showing the armof the car fork when lovx ered after catching a bag. Fig. 9, is a sideview of the car fork, showing the bag retair ing arms.

Referring to the di awings, that part of the apparatus known 15 the carfork, comprises the bar 1, which is formed midway its ends, with theenlarge rnent 2, which is provided with the transv arse orifice 3, andthe angular spring cham hers 4:, in the body thereof, for the receptionof the impact springs 5; while pivoned by the pin 6, and extendingthrough the orifice 3, is the arm 7, which is formed with 1 heoppositely disposed studs 8, to engage tie impact springs 5, which tendto always keep said arm 7, in a Eight angular positior with reference tothe The forward extending portion of the arm 7 is provided with a Jagsupporting arm 9, extending above and Lt night-angles to said arm 7 andprovided v 'ith one or more hooks 10, for suspending the bags by the rins in the end thereof; and t prevent the bag from swinging, I have alscsecured tothe end of the arm 7, a pair of iurved spring arms 11, betweenwhich the bag ban and which slightly grips the bag by a side 12, whichis mounted on said a ms 11, and is adapted to be slid downward thereonbringing said arms together upon ihe bag and holding it from swinginguntil .t is pulled out.'

Upon the catching side of the arm 7 is secured a catching zrm 13, whichextends at an angle of about forty-five degrees from the car and is form:d with the bag catch- .ing crank 14:; said (atching arm 13, beingprovided with a bag ocking means comprising an arm 15, in the shape of abell crank,

and which is pivoted by the stud 16, to said catching arm 13; the innerend of said arm 15, being straight at d adapted to be hit by theincoming bag, and swinging around the curved end of the arm 15, whichengages a catch 17, on the crank 14, thus kicking-said arm 15, andpreventing the rebound of the bag. The ends of the arms 7, and 13, arebraced apartby the brace 18'.

The ends of the bar 1, are rotatably mounted in the bearing brackets 19,and. 20, which are secured to the sides of the doorway 21, of the car bysuitable securing means 22. The bearing 19, being a thrust bearing andcoinprising a socket 23, within which is a spiral spring 24, surroundingsaid bar 1, and bearing against said spring 24, is a rubber cushion 25,held in place by an adjustable collar 26, which is held by the pin 27.This thrust bearing is so constructed that a light impact of a bag uponthe arm. 7, will compress the spring 24, and a heavy impact will notonly compress the spring 24, but also the rubber cushion 25, thus makinga compensating thrust cushion. The bearing 20, is formed with a lug 28,which coacts with :1 lug 29, formed upon the end of the bar 1, to lockthe same in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the arm 7, extended; theimpact of the bag causing said bar 1, to unlock, and the weight of thearm 7, and the bag causing the same to swing into the car, the swingbeing limited by the same lugs 28, and 29, again coming into contactupon their opposite sides; the ends of said lugs being beveled tofacilitate the raising of the arm.

To dismount the bar 1, for removal to an other doorway, the pin 27, isremoved and the bar 1, slid through the collar 26, and bearing 19, untilthe other end of said bar 1, is released from the bearing 20, when theWhole bar 1, may be removed.

The catching and delivering apparatus comprises a standard or crane 30,which is mounted upon the ground in proper relation to the track, and ahorizontal arm 31, integral therewith and upon which is rotatablymounted a circular table 32, which is provided with a depending bearingstud 33, engaged by a socket 34, in said arm 31; while from the centerof said table 32, extends upward a shaft 35, which rotates within abearing 36, formed in an upper parallel horizontal arm 37, of said crane30. Surrounding the upper portion of said shaft, with its upper endsecured to said arm 37, and its lower end secured to a collar 38,forming the lower end of a casing 39, se cured to the arm 37, is aspring 41, which is designed to wind upon the shaft 35, and create aresistance to the revolving of the shaft 35, in the bearing 36. Upon thelower.

surface of the table 32, is formed a pair of depending stops 42, which,when the table is revolved in either direction, abut against a doubleended cushion stop 43, which is of a similar construction to the thrustcushion used on the bar 1, and which is mounted in the arm 31.. Thetable 32, and the shaft 35, are normally retained with. the spring 41,under compression, as shown. in Fig. 1., by the action of a double endedhooked nosedog 45, which is pivoted upon the arm 31; said dog engaging acatch 47, secured upon the under surface of the table 32, in such amanner that when. the table 32, is slightly revolved in a direction tofurther eon'lpress the spring, the dog will. release the table, and thetable will turn in the opposite di.rec tion as actuated by said.springs, and the dog will catch the other catch 47, and hold the tablefrom a backward swing.

To the upper end of the shaft-35, above the arm 37, is keyed orotherwise secured, a bag-catching arm 49, which is provided with thebag-catching fingers 50, and 51; while above and parallel to said arm49, is supported a (lelii 'ering arm or crane 53, by a bracket 54; saidcrane 53, being provided with the bag-hanging resilient hook 55; forsuspending a bag by the ring in its end: while the lower end of the bagis retained by an arm 44, which is hinged to the arm 49, and is providedwith the weight 56, and the bag-engaging hooks 57; said weighted arm 44,retaining the bags at a proper tension for catching.

The bag-catching fingers 50, and 51, are provided. with a bag-lockingmeans comprising a pivoted arm 58, similar to the arm 15, coacting witha catch and steps 59, and 60.

The operation of the device as a whole is as follows :A bag or bagshaving been suspended from the hook 55, the crane is set with the arms49, and 53, at right angles to the track and retained in that positionagainst the tension of the spring 41, by the dog 45. A bag or bagshaving been placed on the hook 10, and in the spring arms 11, on the carfork, and the fork being held in a horizontal position by the catch andthe train moving in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 6) and thecrane being in the position shown in Fig. 7, the arm of the car forkwill pass between the arms 49, and 53, and the bags will be caught outof the arms 9, by the fingers 50, and 51, and the catching arm 13, willcatch and tear the other bag or bags from the arm 53, and thus bothoperations will be done at the same time. As the arm. 49, receives theimpact of the bags, it is driven slightly back against the tension ofthe spring 41, which will allow the dog to release the table, and allowthe arms to swing back into the position indicated by the dotted linesin Fig. 7, where they may be secured in said position by the dog. The

impact of the car fork caused by catching the bags is sustained by thesprings 5, which allows the arm a slight motion to prevent its beinobent.

As the arm 49, assumes the position shown in Fig. 7, the bags areretained in place by the locking arm 58.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In an apparatus of the class described,the combination with a suitable car fork secured to the car and abag-receiving device mounted upon the ground to cooperate with said carfork, and comprising a standard, a rotatable shaft mounted in saidstandard, a table carried by said shaft, and a bagcatching arm securedupon said shaft and ada ted to be swung by the revolution of sai shaft,of bag-catching fingers projecting from said arm and adapted to beplaced in the pathway of the bag as carried by the car fork, and alocking device carried by said fingers and adapted to hold the bag andprevent its rebound from said fingers.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with abagreceiving means mounted upon the ground in proper relation to thecar, of a car-fork mounted upon the car and comprising a bag-holding armpivoted to the car and capable of a vertical swing, and means forholding said arm in a horizontal position until automatically releasedby the impact of a bag, a bag-holding device mounted upon the end ofsaid arm and com rising a bag-suspending hook, and a pair resilient armsto engage the sides of the bag and prevent swinging movement of thesame, a bag-catching arm projecting from the ba -hold1ng arm at an anglethereto, a bag-ho ding crook formed on said arm, and a bag-locking catchmounted uponsaid arm and adapted to be looked upon the bag as the sameis received. I

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car-fork-:nounted upon the car, of a bag-catchin and delivering apparatus mountedupon tie grc und in proper relation to the car, and comp] ising astandard, a bag-holding crane rotai ably mounted on said standard andprovit ed with bagholding hooks, a bag-catching means mounted upon saidcrane and comprising bagcatching fingers or jaws ada ted to receive thebag from the car-fork, locking means attached to said fingers forpreventing the rebound of the bag, means inounted upon said standardlimiting the wing of said crane, means for cushioning t is stoppage ofsaid swing, and means for holding said crane upon either end of its svings until released by the impact of the b: g.

4. In a device of the class described, a standard, a vertical shaftmounted in said standard, a bag-catching a rm extendin from said shaft,means or revolving sai shaft, means for limiting thi revolution of saidshaft, means for norn ally retaining said shaft at one limit of itsswing,'means for temporarily holding said shaft at either limit of itsswing, and means for cushioning the limiting impact of said sving,bag-catching fingers mounted on said catching arm, an automaticbag-locking let er mounted on said fingers, and a ba -ho1din; cranemounted on and above sai catching arm.

In testimony whereof I afli I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB N. ISE NBERGER.

Witnesses:

JoHN J. THoMPsoN, WM. J. COULTER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G.

